The DfT has announced that more than £3m for cycle training for nearly 80,000 children over the next 12 months.
The funding is part of a £140m package announced in January to provide cycle training for up to 500,000 children by 2012.
Rosie Winterton, transport minister, said: "Considering obesity now affects around one quarter of adults and 1 in 10 children, encouraging people to take exercise has never been more important.
"If parents can be satisfied their children can cycle safely they are more likely to let them use their bikes. And getting children cycling could encourage their parents to dust off their own bikes."
The funding will support the new National Cycle Training Standard, Bikeability.
